Electrically heated ice cream dipper



Sept. 23, 1941. L.. A. ARMSTRONG ELECTRICALLY HEATED ICE CREAM DIFFER Filed Aug. 7, 1939 LLLLL Patented Sept. 23, 1941 L. A. Armstrong, Oklahoma City, Okla. Application August 7, 1939, `serial No. 288,897'v ioiaim. 01. 21e- 21) This invention relates to scoops or dippers and more particularly to an electrically heated dipper especially designed for dispensing ice cream at soda fountains, in restaurants, cafes or wherever ice cream is served.

The-object of the invention is to provide an ice cream dipper of simple and inexpensive construction having a heating element associated therewith for warming the walls of the dipper so that a person may readily scoop a cup of ice cream from a can or other container without the necessity of exerting downward pressurevon the wardly to form a. tubular member or shank II terminating in a lateral ange I2 which fits over the adjacent end of the handle 5, as shown.

Disposed within the compartment III is a heating element I3 preferably consisting of inner and outer resistance wires, the terminals Il of which are covered with insulating material and extend longitudinally within the tubular member or shank II. Extending through an opening I5 in the`1ower` portion of the handle 5 isan ele'ctric conductor I6 having a spherical portion I1' mounted thereon which bears against the handle of the dipper and without liability of the ice cream sticking or otherwise adhering to the walls of the cup portion of said dipper.

A further object of the invention is to provide an ice cream dipper, the cup portion of Whichis provided with inner and outer walls defining an intermediate chamber for the reception of an electric heating element, there being a switch mounted on the handle of the dipper and operatively connected with said heating element for controlling the same.

A still further object of the invention is gen= erally to improve this class of devices so as to increase their utility, durability and efficiency as well as to reduce the cost of manufacture.

In the accompanying'drawlng forming a part of this specification and in which similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding par in all the figures of the drawing:

Figure l is a-vertical sectional view of an ice cream dipper or scoop embodying the present invention,

Figure 2 is a front elevation,

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view of the electric heating element detached,

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail sectional view of the cupportion of the dipper, and

Figure 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view showing the construction of the handle supported switch.

The improved ice cream dipper or scoop forming the subjectmatter of the present invention comprises a supporting handle 5 preferably formed of wood and having its central portion hollowed out to form a chamber 6 opening through the opposite ends of the handle, as shown. Mounted on the handle 5 is a cup or scoop 'I adapted to receive the ice cream to be dispensed, said cup being semi-spherical in shape and formed with inner and outer walls 8 and 9 dening an intermediate arcuate compartment I0. The cup 'I is preferably formed of aluminum and the walls of the scoop are extended downlower wall of the chamber 5 and serves to take the strain oif the conductor I6. One ofthe wires I1 of the conductor I6 is connected with the adjacent terminal of the heating element while the other wire I8 of the conductor is oper- 1 atively connected with a spring contact plate Il. A similar spring contact plate 20 is secured to the inner wall of the chamber S in spaced relation to the contact plate I9, and secured to said contact plate 20 is the adjacent end of the other terminal I4 of the heating element.

' cured to the flange I2 of the tubular member II Surrounding the handle 5 is a moisture-proof Y corrugated rubber jacket 2l, the upper end o! which is tapered and bears against and is seso that the handle and its associated parts are completely sealed from moisture and the like.

.The jacket 2l is provided with a laterally exthat the contact plates I8 and 2l! are separated and no current will flow to the heating element. Seated within the compartment I0 of the cup and surrounding the electric heating element I3 is a strip of isinglassor other suitable insulating `material 26 so as to prevent a short circuit through the cup.

It will here be noted that one of the resistance wires surrounds the cup near the forward edge thereof while the other resistance wire is arranged at the rear of the cup so that the entire surface of the cup will be heated when the switch is closed and thus permit the cup to enter the body of ice cream in a container with very little resistance and at the same time prevent ice cream from sticking or otherwise adhering to either the inner or outer walls oi said cup.

In use, the operator presses inwardly on the push button 23 and then inserts the cup portion l of the clipper within a can or other vessel containing the ice cream. Inasmuch as the walls of the cup l are heated by the element I3, the cup will pass through the ice cream without any resistance and without danger of the ice creain sticking or otherwise adhering to either the interior or exterior walls of said cup. By the use of this device a material saving in ice cream is effected when dispensing the same at soda tountains or wherever ice cream is served.

It will, of course, be understood that the dippers may be made in diiierent sizes and shapes and constructed of any suitable material without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

An ice cream dipper comprising a hollow handie having a concave bearing seat in one end thereof and provided with an opening intersecting said seat, an insulating Jacket surrounding the handle, a double walled cup provided with a tubular member having one end thereof provided with a laterally extending flange fitting over the adjacent end of the handle and abutting against the insulating jacket, an electric heating element disposed between the walls of the cup, an electric conductor extending within the opening in the handle and operatively connected with the heating element, a strain eliminator carried by the conductor and having a spherical portion tting within the concave bearing seat of the handie, and a switch including an operator mounted through a side wall portion of the handle for actuation by a linger of a hand grasping the handle, said switch being in the hollow handle and operatively associated with the conductor for controlling the ow of current to the heating element.

L. A. ARMSTRONG. 

